Freescale’s Kinetis series covers the ARM Cortex-M0+ and Cortex-M4 based microcontroller products offered by Freescale. There are several families under the Kinetis series to focus on different segments of the microcontroller landscape, but all offer exceptional low-power performance, rich feature integration, and comprehensive Freescale enablement support. Each family has a wide range of package and memory options, as well as software and hardware compatibility, allowing great scalability as project demands change. Some families are also compatible with each other, such as the Kinetis L KL46 and Kinetis K K40 devices, and many of the Kinetis devices share the same peripheral modules and enablement software.
Kinetis K and Kinetis L are general MCU families, while the other Kinetis families are more application specific with special features for their target market.
A more detailed breakdown of the Kinetis families is below:
| Name | Description | ARM Cortex M4 | ARM Cortex M0+ | Product Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinetis K | High Performance & Rich Integration | x | Click Here | |
| Kinetis L | Ultra-Low Power and Smallest Packages (includes the KL03, the world’s smallest ARM powered MCU) | x | Click Here | |
| Kinetis E | 5V Robustness | x | Click Here | |
| Kinetis EA | 5V Robustness for Automotive Applicaitons | x | Click Here | |
| Kinetis M | Electricity metering and other precision measurement applications | x | Click Here | |
| Kinetis W | Wireless Features with Integrated RF Connectivity | x | x | Click Here |
| Kinetis V | BLDC, PMSM and ACIM motor control | x | x | Click Here |
Kinetis Part Numbering:
Inside of each family, you’ll notice that families have names like KE02, or K10, or KL46.
- The first letters represent the Kinetis family. So a KL25 part is a member of the Kinetis L family, and a K10 device is a member of the Kinetis K family.
- The first digit signifies at a high level the main features of the chip. It also means higher pin counts and flash sizes to take advantage of those features. The exact meaning will differ between Kinetis families and the product guide will need to be consulted for the specific family you're interested in.
However for the Kinetis K, L, E, and M families it would break down as follows:
Part Number | Description |
0x | Basic peripheral set |
1x | Standard peripheral set |
2x | Adds USB |
3x | Adds segment LCD |
4x | Adds both USB and segment LCD |
5x | Adds special analog features (ie for medical), Ethernet, USB, and Segment LCD |
6x | Adds Ethernet and USB* |
7x | Adds LCD Controller, Ethernet, HS USB, DDR, FPU, and NAND |
(*some 120/150MHz K6x devices also have HS USB, DDR, FPU, and NAND)
Note that the definition of "basic/standard peripheral set" differs depending on the Kinetis family. But as an example, the chart demonstrates the major differences between a KL46 and a KL16.
- The second digit signifies different features, versions, and memory/package options. The exact meaning of the digit varies for each particular part. As an example, the KL26 differs from the KL25 by adding I2S support, increasing memory size, and changing the SPI module from 8-bit to 16-bit. See the particular device’s data sheet for details on a part you are interested in. There are also are different features based on the max frequency of the device. As an example, a K60 120MHz part has NAND Flash support available, while a K60 100MHz part does not.
- Devices with an F in their part number have an FPU. Part numbers that have a D instead do not have an FPU.
- Devices with an X in their part number have a special Kinetis feature called FlexMemory that emulates an EEPROM. Part numbers that have an N instead do not have FlexMemory.
There’s a very handy tool called the MCU Solutions Advisor that can help you narrow down which Kinetis device is right for your particular application and requirements.
Also check out the Freescale ARM Embedded Solutions Guide for full details on Freescale’s entire ARM portfolio, including the i.MX and Vybrid families for those who need even more performance and multiple cores.
Kinetis Evaluation Platforms:
There are two main evaluation platforms for Kinetis devices: Freedom and Tower. Some devices (like the K20 family) are available on both platforms, while other devices are only available on one or the other. The biggest difference is the form-factor, which then influences the expandability and features found on each board.
Freedom boards have a smaller, Arduino compatible form-factor, enabling easy access to analog and digital IO, as well as compatibility with the many shields available today. They’re low power and perfect for low-cost evaluation of a Kinetis device, as they include sensors and other interfaces showcasing the features of the MCU on the board. Freedom boards also enable you to get quickly started with your design via the OpenSDA feature built into the board, which allows flash programming, debugging, serial communication, and more, using only a USB cable. There are several Freedom boards to choose from based on your particular needs.
Tower boards on the other hand are larger, and often have even more features built onto the board. They are also compatible with the numerous Tower peripheral boards and have a built-in circuit for debugging and serial communication over USB. Many of the Kinetis K devices found on Tower boards have a significant number of IO pins on them, so the tower form factor allows access to these.
More Kinetis Information, Features, and Enablement:
Processor Expert Drivers Overview
Kinetis Development Studio (SDK) - Free IDE